Rotary engine.



W. 6: A. READ.

N. READ, ADMIHISTRATBIX 01 A. READ, DEO'D.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIOATIONIIILBD APBJV, 1911.

Patented Dec. 5, 191 1.

2 BEEETB8HEET 2.

CQLUMBIA FLANDGRAPH COwWAlHINUTDN. D- C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM READ, 0F PANA, AND AUSTIN READ, DECEASED, OF PANA, ILLINOIS,

NETTIE READ, ADMINISTRATRIX, ASSIGNORS, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, OF TWO-THIRDS TO SAID WILLIAM READ AND ONE-THIRD TO WALTER W.

DEARTH, OF PANA, ILLINOIS.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 5, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that AUSTIN READ, deceased, late a citizen of the United States, and resident of Pana, Illinois, and I, WIL- LIAM READ, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Pana, in the county of Christian and State of Illinois, have jointly invented new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines; and I, WILLIAM READ, and I, NETTIE READ, the duly constituted administratrix of the estate of AUSTIN READ, deceased, do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the said joint invention of the said WILLIAM READ and the said decedent, AUSTIN READ, and suchas will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in rotary engines.

One object of the invention is to provlde a rotary engine having an improved construction and arrangement of sliding pistons which are forced outwardly and held in operative engagement with the inner surface of the cylinder by steam pressure.v

Another and very important feature of the invention is in the location of the adj ustable packings in respect to the steam inlet and discharge ports, and further the position the packings assume in respect to the inner contour of the piston cylinder.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, and the combination and' arrangement of parts as will be more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1 is a side view of improved engine; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section; Fig. 3 is an end view with one of the cylinder heads removed; Fig. 4 is an inner side view of the cylinder head removed from Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a central vertical cross sectional view.

Our improved engine comprises a cylinder 1 having formed therein an elliptical-shaped opening 2 and having its ends closed by removable heads 3 and 4 forming a steam receiving chamber. On the heads are formed heads 3 and 4t and revolubly engaged with bearing passages in the bosses 6 is a drive shaft 9 on which in the cylinder 1 is fixedly mounted a cylindrical piston head 10, the diameter of which corresponds to the width or diameter of the narrowest part of the opening 2 in the cylinder. When the piston head is thus arranged in the cylinder, the spaces between the walls form the .longer width or diameter and the adjacent portions of the piston head form steam spaces, the purpose of which will be hereinafter more fully described. Formed in the piston head on opposite sides of the shaft 9 and opening through the opposite sides and outer walls of the piston head are piston receiving notches 11, said notches being preferably arranged at a suitable angle to the center of the piston head, as .shown. Slidably mounted in the notches 11 are pistons 12, the. outer ends of which are preferably rounded on one edge and are adapted to be engaged with the inner walls of the opening in the cylinder as shown, the pistons 12 are forced outwardly and held in yielding engagement with the inner walls of the cylinder by steam pressure. The steam for forcing the pistons 12 outwardly is admitted to the inner ends of the notches 11 through suitable ports or passages 18 formed in the piston head and communicating with the notches 11 as shown.

Bolted or otherwise secured to the piston head 10 are packing supporting plates 14 having in their outer edges annular grooves 15 with which are engaged expansible packing rings 16 which when the plates 14L are engaged with the chambers 5 on the cylinder head will spring out into engagement with the adjacent inner surface 17 of the chambers and thus form a steam tight joint between the piston head and the cylinder head. In the plates 14 are formed steam inlet ports 18 which communicate with the ports 13 in the piston head and thus admit steam to the inner ends of the notches 11 whereby the pistons 12 are forced outwardly and held in operative engagement with the inner walls of the cylinder.

Adjustably secured in oppositely angularly disposed recesses 19 formed in the inner wall of the cylinder 1 at the narrowest part of the opening 2 therein are packing plates or blocks 20 between which and the pistons the steam expands when admitted to the spaces at the opposite portions of the opening 2. The packing blocks 20 are adjustably secured in the recesses 19 by set screws 21 whereby any wear of the same and the sides of the piston heads may be com pensated for and the steam properly directed by the adjustment thereof. On the inner side of the chambers 5 formed on the heads 3 and 4 and around the bearing opening therein are tapered or cone-shaped flanges 22 which are adapted to receive packing rings 23 arranged on the shaft 9 whereby a fluid tight joint is formed between the shaft and the bearing openings in the cylinder heads.

Formed on one side of the cylinder 1 is a valve casing 24 in which is arranged a rotary valve 25, said valve being in the form of a hollow cylinder closed at one end and having in one side a steam discharge port 26. The heads 3 and 4 have formed there on extensions which coincide with and cover the opposite ends of the valve casing 24 and in the extension of the head 4 opposite the open end of the valve 25 is formed a steam inlet port 27, with which is adapted to be connected a steam supply pipe 28. In the extension of the head 3 is formed a bearing opening 29 in which is revolubly mounted the inner end of a valve stem 30 on which is formed a transversely disposed rib 31 which is adapted to engage a transverse notch or groove 32 formed in the closed end of the valve 25 whereby the latter is adapted to be turned by the valve stem. The stem 30 is revolubly mounted in a bearing sleeve 33 arranged on and projecting laterally from the outer side of the head 3. On the outer end of the sleeve 33 is arranged a stuffing box 34 through which the valve stem projects and by means of which a fluid tight joint is formed between the stem and the sleeve. On the projecting outer end of the valve stem is fixedly mounted a spur gear 35 which is in operative engagement with a similar gear 36 fixed on the shaft 9 of the engine whereby the movement of said shaft is imparted to the valve stem to turn the latter in the proper direction for operating the valve 25. The gears 35 and 36 are of such relative size that the valve will be driven at the proper speed by the engine shaft. As the valve 25 is thus revolved, the steam port 26 therein will be successively brought into engagement with an angularly disposed steam inlet passage 37 formed in the cylinder and communicating with one end of the space in the cylinder head. adjacent to one of the packings 20 as shown. By the location of the delivery end of the steam inlet passage 37 in respect to the adjustable packing block 20 the steam entering the chamber 2 is not only directed to one side thereof, but absolutely prevented from escaping into the opposite side of the chamber and coming in contact with the piston 12 adjacent to the packing block, which is in a position to freely pass over the same. The results referred to are accomplished entirely by the employment of the adjustably secured packing block and its location in respect to the steam inlet passage 37, and thus it will be observed that the packing performs a double function, the utility and advantages of said packing being applicable to the packing block located at the discharge portion of the chamber.

Formed in the side of the cylinder 1 opposite to the inlet passage 37 is an exhaust passage 38 which opens through one end of the cylinder and communicates with an exhaust port 39 formed in the adjacent head 4 of the cylinder through which the exhaust steam passes after acting on the piston. In the side of the cylinder opposite to the exhaust passage 38 is formed an oil passage 40 which opens through the end of the cylinder and communicates with an oil supply port 41 formed in the head 4 opposite to the steam exhaust port 38. WVith the oil supply port 41 is adapted to be connected any suitable form of oil cup or receptacle whereby the cylinder is at all times kept thoroughly lubricated. In the chambers 5 of the heads 3 and 4, are arranged blow off passages 42 with which are adapted to be connected blow off cocks 43 whereby any water of condensation may be removed from the chambers 5. In the upper portion of the cylinder head 4 and connecting the port 27 with the chamber 5 in said head is a steam passage 44 through which steam passes from the valve casing to the chamber 5 in the head 4 and from said chamber passes through the ports 18 in the packing plate 14 and through the ports 13 into the notches 11 thus forcing the pistons outwardly against the inner walls of the cylinder. The steam passes on through the inner portion of the notches 13 and through the ports 18 in the packing plates 14 on the opposite side of the piston head and in to the chambers 5 of the head 3. The chambers 5 are thus constantly supplied with steam which enters through the ports 18 to the notches l1 and maintains an even pressure at all times against the' pistons thus holding the same out in operative engagement with the inner surface of the cylinder as described.

As hereinbefore stated, the cylinder heads 3 and l are detachably secured to the opposite ends of the cylinder and said heads are preferably fastened by screws 45 which are engaged with screw holes in the heads and with threaded sockets in the ends of the cylinder. The heads 3 and 4 are further held in place by studs 46 which project a suitable distance from the side thereof and are adapted to be engaged with openings 47 formed in the opposite ends of the cylinder.

In the operation of the engine, steam is admitted to the tubular valve 25 and is discharged therefrom into one of the spaces formed between the outer surface of the piston head and the end of the elliptical-shaped passage of the cylinder and when thus discharged engages the projecting pistons as they are successively brought across the steam inlet port. It will be noted that by rounding the ends of the pistons that the upper edge of the square faces thereof will form a tight engagement with the walls of the cylinder and as said pistons are held in tight engagement with said walls by the pressure of the steam against the inner ends of the pistons and the steam in the steam spaces of the cylinder cannot escape between said outer edges of the pistons and the Walls of the cylinder until the piston head is revolved to a sufficient distance to bring the pistons across the exhaust port or passage in the cylinder opposite the inlet port whereupon the exhaust steam is permitted to cscape as will be readily understood.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the a rotary valve to control the admission of I steam to the chamber, said valve consisting.

of a cylinder closed at one end and provided with a discharge port, a valve stem arranged on a line with the valve cylinder and provided with a transversely disposed rib which is adapted to be received by acorrespondingly shaped groove in the closed end of the valve cylinder, a projecting sleeve having a stufling box on its outer end, providing a bearing for the valve stem, a steam supply pipe the inner end of which frictionally bears against the open end of the valve cylinder, a circular piston head located in the piston chamber,-adjustable packings embedded in the opposite flattened sides of the piston chamber adjacent the ports therein the latter being inclined toward the packings, steam projected pistons slidably mounted in the piston head, the latter having steam supply ports for admitting steam to the inner ends of the sliding pistons, and means for simultaneously rotating the rotary valve and piston head.

In testimony whereof, I, WILLIAM READ, have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

WILLIAM READ.

Witnesses:

WALTER WILMOT DEARTH, MELVINA READ.

In testimony whereof, I, NETTIE READ, administratrix of the estate of AUSTIN READ, have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' NETTIE READ, Administratrim 0 f the estate of Austin Read,

deceased.

Witnesses:

WALTER WILMOT DEARTH, MELVINA READ.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

